CORRUPTION: I FORESEE A REVOLUTION -FAKEYE

A chilling warning has gone out to political office holders to stop corrupt practices or face dire consequences of revolution. Special Apostle Gabriel Fakeye who was the spiritual Leader and Chairman of Surulere District sub-headquarter of the Cherubim and Seraphim (C&S) church, (Ayo ni oo) gave this warning in an interview with Daily Sun at the commemoration of the 40 years anniversary of the church district in Lagos:

'A situation where close to 50 percent of the money meant for development end up in the pockets of individuals or group is unacceptable to every right think Nigerian. 'If nothing is done to arrest this cankerworm, I foresee a revolution in which people will rise up against this trend as it happened in some countries. Remember that one day we are all going to give an account of our stewardship if not on this earth, before our heavenly father,' Excerpts:

April polls
This is a most decisive year of our dear country Nigeria. It is the third election we are holding without the supervision of the military. We thank God for this, especially bearing in mind that our previous experiences at democracy had always come to uneventful ends after civilian to civilian elections. So far, we have watched the various primary elections of the political parties and one can say that God is in control. However we must all the will of God to be done in the affair of this nation.

The electorates on their part must make sure that they did not sell their conscience. Nigerians must learn to vote for candidates of their choice without fear or favour. Our votes remain our only strength and we must guide it jealously and use it judiciously.

On the part of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I am calling on this body to live up to its name. INEC should be seen to be totally independent of powers that be at all levels of governance. Selfish individual interest must not be allowed to override the national interest and especially we must realize that our present and the future of our children are at stake. Our prayer now and continually for Professor Attahiru Jega and the entire staff of INEC is that they would be successful at the conduct of this year election.

Corruption
This is a cankerworm that will never allow a nation to grow. The level of corruption in our society is alarming. People are acquiring wealth as if they can use it to buy death which is the ultimate end of every living being, be rich or poor. The most annoying part is that this wealth is openly displayed to the annoyance of the less fortunate members of the society.

To this end many have erroneously imbibed the notion that without stealing government money or that of their employers they can never make it in life. I am calling on the present administrations federal, state and local governments and the incoming administrations to rise strongly against these evils and restore the nation to the path of God which is the only path of sanity.

Infrastructural decay
The current infrastructural decay we are facing did not start with the current administration in the country. Many of it like NEPA now PHCN did not even start with the on-going civil rule. However, what I want to state here today is that the speed of intervention is rather slow. At this pace we may not get things right in the next 10 years yet we are talking of vision 20:2020.

Nigerians are daily dying on our dilapidated roads, families are getting burnt in the course of using electricity generators. Our factories have shut down due to the harsh business environment. Those that are still managing to produce are doing so at very uncompetitive levels making imported item far cheaper than those produced here. The earlier we tackle this problem of decayed infrastructure the better for the nation and the more attractive Nigeria is for foreign direct investments.

Bombings and killings
I say it again in the name of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, bombings and killings in the country must stop. We must remember the sanctity of human life and the fact that nobody however powerful and rich can create a strand of hair talk less of a human being. We have killed ourselves in a bloody civil war. We have equally done so in coups and counter-coup and done that in the process of elections.

However, 50 years after independence we should be aspiring toward a humane and decent society rather than degenerate into chaos and anarchy. It will be sad if we allow this nation to be branded as a terrorist state, those of us that often travel out of the country will carry this stigma as we once carried that of hard drug.

The police and other law enforcement agents must be alive to their various individual and collective responsibilities. The perpetrator of these heinous crimes must be made to face the full wrath of the law once they are caught. Our prayer is that very soon, all the forces and persons behind the bombings and killings shall be revealed and put to shame.

Youth
Money is the root of all evils. I am appealing to our youths to never compromise their tomorrow which is in the hands of God. They should be careful, patient and have the fear of God. They should resist all temptations that can resort to violence and electoral malpractices, wealth from God is eternal, while wealth from man is futile.

The Judiciary
I want to commend the judiciary for its noble role since the beginning of the present political dispensation. They have been able to prove themselves as the last of hope for all categories of Nigerians. I will further enjoin them to continue to be upright and righteous in the dispensation of justice as we all know that righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach unto God.

Governance worldwide is hinged mainly on an impartial judiciary, the third arm of government must not fail in its avowed duty of righteous dispensation of justice, anything short of this is not just unacceptable. It is a potential source of breakdown of law and order which can cause problem for the nation. I appeal to all the members of the Bar and the Bench to a continue to be God fearing and dispense justice without fear and favour, I am also calling on the executive to make sure that they take good care of the members of the judiciary so that they can fulfilled their part in governance.

Unemployment
The level of unemployment in the country is unacceptable. Parents toiled and labored to educate their children only for them to come out of the university and polytechnic to walk the streets endlessly in search of jobs that are not available. In view of the above, it is of utmost importance that our various governments must work towards creating jobs for our teaming youth population.

Virtually all our key sectors if properly managed can provide job opportunities for Nigerians. Areas like agriculture, manufacturing, processing and recycling can create huge job portfolio if enough focus is put on them by government.